Spreader for concrete-forms.



G. E. EHRLING.

SPREADER FOR CONCRETE FORMS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. H. 1915.

MBW WJL Patented 0m. 24, 1916.

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GUNNAR EMANUEL EHRLING, 0F OI-IICAGOI'IIJIINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 BATES VALVE BAG COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

SPREADER non CONCRETE-FORMS.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24f, T916.

Application filed November 11, 1915. Serial No. 60,833.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUNNAR EMANUEL EHRLING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Spreaders for Concrete-Forms, of which the following is a specification. I

My invention relates to improvements in spreaders for concrete forms and the like.

It hasvfor one object a metallic indestructible spreader which will hold the side members of 'a concrete form apart against the tension of the wires or holding supports until the concrete has been poured.

Another object is to provide means for easily and conveniently demounting and withdrawing such spreader.

Another object is to rovide means for preventing movement 0 the Spreaders in the form until the operator desires to with draw it.

Further objects will appear in the specification.

My invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings as follows, wherein- Figure 1 is a plan of a structure showing my spreader in use, Fig. 2 is an enlarged section along the line 22 showing the spreader about to be withdrawn, Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan of my spreader, Fig. 4: is a side elevation on the same scale as Fig. 3.

Like parts are indicated by like letters throu hout the several figures.

A g are the side sheathin of a form in which concrete is to be poure This sheathing is supported by reinforcing bars A A. on either side of these bars and the sheathing itself are tied together by the wire A which passes back and forth between the sheathing and around the reinforcingbars to hold the structure firmly together. In order that there may be no slipping or distortion of the form, the tension in the wireis made comparatively great and if not resisted, cause the forms to collapse inwardly. Such a collapse is prevented by the presence of the spreader members B. These spreaders, as it will be noted, are distributed at suitable points within the form to resist the compression of the tying wires. The forms are preferably and in fact almost always made out of wood, separate wood planks part has a flat corrugated surface B adapted to engage the inner side of the form. It is corrugated so as to prevent slipping, the corrugations penetrating the wood to prevent slipping or sliding. Projecting inwardly from each such flat side B are the inclined sides 13 B The sides B terminate in two parallel strips B which are pivoted by means of a pin B between the two parallel strips Bf, pinning the two strips B toether. Removed from the pivot is a pin The ends of the strips B are cut away as at B to engage the pin B so that the wire at two parts may pivot oneupon the other and are limited in their movement by the contact of the pin With the cut away ends. Thus in Fig. 4:, no matter how great the pressure on the central portion of the spreader caused by any suitable means, for instance the dropping of the aggregate as it is poured or the foot of the operator as he stands in the form, there can be no further relative rotation of the parts. However, if the spreader is engaged by a hook such as that shown by C, and the hook is pulled up, the spreader will break instantly, disengaging itself from the side wall of the form and permitting its withdrawal.

It will be evident that while I have shown in my drawings an operative device, still many changes might be made both in size, shape and arrangement of parts without departin from the spirit of my invention and I wlsh, therefore that my drawings be regarded as in a sense diagrammatic.

The use and operation of my device is as follows: The side frames are first erected, then the boards or form walls are laid edge to edge just inside the frame. The spreaders are then inserted. The operator will start with them in the position shown in Fig. 2. The wires would then be tightened up, not tight enough however to collapse the form.. The operator will then press down on the center of the spreader forcing it in the position shown in Fig. 4 expanding the side form walls of the frame outwardly against the wire to clamp the parts in posltion and completed, the concrete is poured. As the level in the concrete in the mold rises, the Spreaders must one by one be salvaged. This is done by a hook as shown which breaks the spreader, permitting its instant disengagement from contact with the walls and its subsequent easy and convenient withdrawal.

The spreader is made up as indicated, of two separate flat metallic strips formed so as to have two transverse corrugated form contacting surfaces and a pivoted central narrow supporting surface. The edges of the strip are upward and the concrete can fall freely between and around the parts of the spreader so that there is no danger of displacing the spreader by the weight or impact of the concrete falling upon it as it is being poured. 1

It will be noted that by using my form it no longer is necessary to draw the heavy parts together against a single spacing 'mechanism. It is much easier to fiX the tie member to hold the forms in place and then press the forms into position, thus saving time and strain on the material.

I claim:

1. A spreader for concrete forms comprising two triangular open frame sections whose bases are parallel, and whose apexes point toward one another, said frame sections being made up of fiat strip stock, the

two ends of the stock making up one section being parallel and in engagement with one another, the ends of the strip making up the other section being parallel with and on either side of the ends of the first section, such end strips being pivoted together along a line adjacent the apex of'one of the sections.

2. A spreader for concrete forms comprising two triangular open frame sections whose bases are parallel, and whose apexes point toward one another, said frame sections being made up of flat strip stock, the two ends of the stock making up one section being parallel and in engagement with one another, the ends of the strip making up the other section being parallel with and on either side of the ends of the first section, such end strips being pivoted together along a line adjacent the apex of one of the sections, a pin tying the inner strips together at a point adjacent the apex of the frame made by such strip, the outer strip being notched to engage such pin, the pin projecting outwardly into the path of such strips.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses this sixth day of November, 1915.

GUNN AR EMANUEL EHRLING. Witnesses:

MINA W. P. Enos,

GRACE STAUNTON. 

